1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system and in particular, to a method and apparatus for managing data transfers. Still more particularly, the present invention provides a method, apparatus, and computer instructions for managing the exchange of data in an instant message system.
2. Description of Related Art
Instant messaging is an online chat medium, allowing users to communicate with each other and collaborate in real-time over a network data processing system. Instant messaging is commonly used over the Internet. Instant messaging applications monitor and report the status of users that have established each other as online contacts. This information is typically presented to a user in a window. Instant messaging applications also are often used by users conducting business. By utilizing instant messaging, business users can view each other's availability and initiate a text conversation with colleagues or customers when a desired contact becomes available. Millions of users communicate using instant messaging systems every day. With instant messaging becoming an important part of a both personal and business communications, functionality and usability enhancements are important to the continued success of this type of communication tool.
Other instant messaging type tools include collaboration applications, which allow for real time collaboration. Microsoft Net meeting, available from Microsoft, provide a discussion or chat function with a built-in sharing of external applications or whiteboards. These types of messaging programs are useful, but also include various problems. For example, image sharing is typically formed at an application window or desktop level. Alternatively, a cut and paste function may send images to a shared whiteboard. Application level sharing may be problematic because a mixture of private and public content may be present.
For example, a spreadsheet may contain shareable information, such as names of employees and their expertise as well as non-shareable information, such as payroll information. Restricting images that are transferred may be performed through a shared whiteboard through a copy and paste function. Through this copy and paste function, information that is shareable may be selected and pasted to the shared whiteboard. This feature, however, often is awkward and adds extra manual steps because many applications to not allow selective screen copying. As a result, the user may be required to employ an external screen capture program.
Further, in some cases, the shared image is too large or complex to be shared on a whiteboard or through an application. In this case, a user is required to resort to pointing and highlighting portions of the image to focus the discussion. Such a requirement adds extra manual steps. Text or recorded audio may be logged by these tools. An additional problem is correlating the text or recorded audio discussion with the images. The onscreen interaction plays in real time and is not stored or logged with the discussion. Therefore, it is often difficult to correlate or recreate the focus of the discussion at a later time.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an improved method, apparatus, and computer instructions for providing collaboration in which text and images may be easily shared.